Sheet registering mechanism for printing machines



Sept. '8 1942.

5 Sheets-Sheet l IN'VENTORS BY i? ATTO EY M. S. GUDGER ETAL SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Flled Jan 7, 1942 Sept. 8, 1942.

2,294,980 SHEET "REGISTERING MECHANIM FOR PRINTING MACHINEES Mfs. GUDGEB ETAL 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1942 A? an Sept. 8, 19 42. M. s. GUDGER EI'AL SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 7, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T I a Patented Sept. 8, 1942 i ST TES PATENT OFF-ICE SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES tion of New York Application January 7, 1942, Serial No. 425,814

20 Claims.

This invention relates to sheet registering mechanism for printing machines adapted for printing metal, cardboard or similar sheets, and more particularly to means for registering the side edges of sheets being fed to the printing machine.

Machines of this kind are usually provided with means to feed the sheets in timed relation with rotary printing cylinders, to position them against stops adapted to be engaged by the forward edge of the sheet, and side register means are arranged to be engaged by the side edges of the sheet, whereby the sheet will be registered both longitudinally and transversely with the printing plates. Width of the sheets, it is customary to have a registering means for one side edge of the sheet positively located against an adjustable stop while another and similarregistering means is adapted to impose a spring bias on the opposite sheet edge to insure positive engagement of the side edge of the sheet being registered against the positively located registering means. It is also customary to simultaneously move the side registering means toward and away from the sheet edge in timed relation to the forward motion of the sheet, so as to register the sheet and then relieve it from engagement With the side registering means, thus ensuring smooth andaccurate feeding of the sheets after they are registered.

Instances occasionally occur when it is desirable to print sheets which difier considerably in length, meaning the climension'lying in'the direction of their movement in the machine, and it is contemplated as oneobject of this invention to provide an improved form of sheet registering mechanism that is readily adaptable to register either relatively long or short sheets.

Another object of this invention is to;provide in a sheet registering mechanism of the 'kinddefined, means to efiiciently and quickly adjust the stop means for the positive registering means while the machine is running.

Further objects are to provide means in a sheet registering mechanism of the kind-defined, to guide the sheets against and between the registering means with a minimum of friction being imposed thereon, and means wherebyany distortion of an edge of the sheet by the -regis-- tering means will be limited in its extent.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a sheet registering mechanism of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in-construc- Due to slight variations in the.

.for the gripper 3.

tion, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the-details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may-be made within the-scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodimentof the invention and a modified form of the same is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical side view of a portion of .a printing machine, partly in section and with parts broken away, showing the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 isa fragmental view of parts shown in Figure 1 looking in the direction of arrow 2 in that figure;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental'and broken plan View of the sheet registering mechanism 88 of Figure '7; and

Figure 9 is an end'view of the mechanism shown in Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to' Figures 1 and '2, .the printing machine to which this invention is shown applied, ineludes-a plate cylinder 'II andanimpression cylinder 12. The impression cylinder 12, in this instance, carries sheet grippers !3 adapted to be actuated in timed relation with the feeding operation of the sheets and with the rotation of thecylinders-H and I2 byoa stationary cam l4 acting thereon through a roller 1 5 and lever. arm [6. A stop member I! .istcarriedby thesupport The sheets-engage this stop 1! before theylare gripped by the gripper l3 and carried between the cylinders H and 12 to be printedupon.

:Sheets are fed alongaguide-lfi which directs them to the bite of the cylinder. A series oi swinging fingers l9, one of which is shown in a raised position in Figure 1, are swung downward by means (not shown) after the passage of each sheet, and raised on the approach of the following sheet, the purpose of these fingers being to prevent premature passage of the sheet to the cylinder when they are depressed, and when raised to the position shown, they act to insure that the leading edge of the sheet rests on the guide l8 and is prevented from passing over the grippers I3.

As herein disclosed, the sheets are fed along the guide IS in proper timed relation from a source of supply and are caused to engage a side registering mechanism embodying this invention.

The side registering mechanism disclosed in Figures 1-6, includes broadly, a pair of rollers 2| and 22 (Figure 3) disposed one at either side of the path of the sheet, and means to move these rollers toward and away from each other to engage the side edges of the sheets and effect side register thereof during the period they are passing. The means to so move the rollers 2| and 22 includes a pair of bars 23 and 24 arranged to be reciprocated. The means for moving the bar 23 is shown and it will be understood that identical means is provided to similarly move the bar 24.

Movement of the bars 23 and 24 away from each other is effected by earns 25 (Figures 1 and 2) through rollers 26, levers 21, links 28 and levers 23. The levers 21 and 29 are pivotally supported on stud shafts 3| and 32 respectively. The levers 29 are pivotally secured to the respective bar 23 or 24 adjacent the outer end of each by a pin 33. The inner end of each of the bars 23 and 24 i pivotally secured by a pin 34 to an arm 35 pivotally supported upon a stud shaft 36. A spring 31 having one end secured to the arm 35, and the other end to any suitable anchorage, biases the arm 35 and through it the bar 23 or 24, the lever 29, the link 28, and the lever 21, to maintain the roller 26 in operative contact with the cam. 25.

The bars 23 and 24 are each provided with a. i

stop block 38, herein shown secured to the outer ends of the bars by screws 39. Each of these stop blocks 38 is arranged to engage against a roller 4| (Figures 3, 4 and 5), mounted on an eccentric end 42 of a shaft 43, journaled in bearings 44 and 45 (Figures 1 and 4), secured to a convenient stationary machine part (not shown). An arm 46 (Figures 4 and 6), secured to the shaft 43 adjacent its eccentric end 42 is arranged to be biased by a spring 41 to rock the shaft 43 in the proper direction to press a finger 48, se-' cured upon the other end of the shaft 43, against a stop nut 49 screw threaded upon an end of a stud 5|, and prevented from turning by the finger 48, the nut being limited in movement thereon by lock nuts 52. side frame members 53, and has a dial 54 secured thereto outside of the frame 53. The dial 54 is provided with a knob 55 by which it and the stud 5| may be rotated to adjust the stop nut 49 thereon, and through the finger 48 and the shaft 43, vary the position of the eccentric end 42, and adjust the point of engagement of the stop block 38 with the roller 4| and through it, the travel of the roller 2|. Although these parts are shown only in connection with the bar 23 and used for registering sheets from their left hand edges, it will be understood that duplicate parts are provided on the opposite side of the machine for cooperation with the bar 24 when it is desiredto register sheets from their right hand edges.

The stud 5| extends through a passing between the rollers.

- its left hand edge.

The rollers 2| and 22 are each carried in a bifurcated arm 56 pivoted to an enlarged end 51 (Figure 5) of a shaft 58 by a pin 59. The shaft 58 is journaled in a bracket 6| releasably clamped to the respective bar 23 or 24. The means herein shown for clamping the brackets 6| to the respective bars 23 and 24 includes an inverted U-shaped yoke 62 (Figure 4) having inturned shoulders 63 and 64 adapted to enter lengthwise grooves 65 and 66 provided adjacent the upper edge of the bars. A set screw 61 screw threaded through the yoke 62 engages the upper surface of the bracket 6| to pull the respective bar 23 or 24 upwardly against the lower surface of the bracket ,6| to clamp it thereto. A pin 68 passing through the bracket 6| with its ends passing freely through enlarged holes 69 in the arms of the yoke 62 limits the movements of the yoke 62 in respect to the bracket 6|.

,The shaft 58 is clamped in the bracket 6| by a circular nut 1| (Figure 5) screw threaded on its end opposite its enlarged end 51, and is provided with an extension 12 upon which a spring abutment member 13 is secured. A compression spring 14 (Figure 3), reacting between the abutment member 13 and a rod 15 pivotally secured at 16 to the roller supporting arm 56 is provided to bias the arm 56 and through it the roller 2| or 22 toward the adjacent edge of the sheet The bracket 6| has lugs 11 and 18 extending from opposite sides thereof, each lug having a screw threaded hole 19, adapted to receive a locking screw 8| which passes through a lug 82 provided on the roller supporting arm 56. By means of the screw 8|, the arm 56 may when desired, be securely clamped to the bracket 6|. Either roller 2| or 22 may thus be made a registering stop, against which the sheet is pressed by the other roller. The rollers 2| and 22 are each provided with a groove 83 midway between their ends, and are tapered inwardly as at 84 and 85 from their ends toward this groove 83 to guide a sheet therein- Assuming that a sheet is being fed along the guide 8 (Figure 1) toward the cylinders H and I2 in properly timed relation, when it has partially passed between the rollers 2| and 22, the cams 25 actuate the levers 29 to permit each roller 2| and 22 to be moved by the spring 31, toward and against the adjacent side edge of the sheets. One of the rollers, and as herein shown, the roller 2| has its spring 14 rendered ineffective by the locking screw 8|, and its inwardmovement is limited by the engagement of the stop block 33 on the bar 23 (Figure 5) with the roller 4| on the eccentric end 42 of the shaft 43. At this time, the sheet is forced against the roller 2| and into the groove 83, by the roller 22, due to the biasing action of the spring 14 on the roller 22, to register the sheet sidewise with respect to Shortly after this operation takes place, the cams 25 (Figure 1) withdraw the rollers 2| and 22 from engagement with the sheet, which moves along with the cylinders and in contact with the forward edge stop I1, the speed of which is slightly less than the feeding speed thebracket curing the bracket lill to the bracket 6|, a so in length, the rollers El and 22 are swung over forwardly toward the cylinders H and I2 ,as in- ,dicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. Suchanoperation is accomplished by removing the lock screw 8|, loosening the circular nut 1| (Figure 5) to release the shaft 58 in the bracket BI and rotating it with the arm 56, theabutment 13, the

spring 14, and the rod 15 into such dotted'position (Figure 3) whereby the side stops or rollers '2] and 22 will be moved nearer to the printing cylinders. The nut 1| is then tightened and the lock screw 8| inserted at either side of the machine as desired depending on at which side edge -the sheets are to be registered. It is obvlousthat sheet side edge stops or registering means have "been-provided adapted to be positioned in either of two positions with respect to a front or forward edge stop, or along the path of the advancing sheet to adapt the mechanism to register different lengths of sheets, and the --regis ter stop adjusting mechanism disclosed permits exceedingly accurate adjustment of side register of the sheets without stopping the machine.

' In the-modified form of side registeringmeans illustrated in Figures 1, 8 and 9, therollers 2| and 22, the arms 59 and the springs 1 4 of Figures 1 to 6, have been replaced by a. cluster ofsix rollers disposed at each side of the sheet. Each cluster of rollers includes four substantially coneshaped rollers 9|, 92, 93 and 99 and two cylindrical rollers 95 and 99 (Figure 9). These six rollers are all mounted in a frame 91 (Figure '1) carried by and pivotally secured to a hollow cylindrical spindle 99 or 99. The spindle 98 or 99 is slidably mounted in the bore I99 of a bracket llll, said bracket having an arm l92 extending therefrom at right angles to the axis of the bore Jimand adapted to be clamped to the inner end of the bracket 6| by a bolt I93 extending lengthwise through thershaft receiving bore of the bracket 6|. A lug I94 extends from the bracket NH and has a hole therein to align with the screwthreaded hole 19 in the lugs 11 and 18 ofthe bracket 9 l whereby a screw I95 passed through the hole in the lug its and screwed into one ofthethreaded holes 19,,will clamp the bracketlfll securely to The bolt l93in addition to seforms a shaft upon which the bracket l9! may swing when the screw H35 is removed.

This form of the invention is shown as arrangedto register sheets with respect to their right hand side edges, although asintheprevi- ,ously described form, the parts are reversible, so

that registration may be effected from either side edge of the sheets. The spindle 98 is adapted to parts and thereby prevents sliding movement of the spindle in the bracket. No spring is provided inthe bore l6? of the spindle 99. The stop block, 7 39 and the roller 91 on the eccentric end,42of

the shaft 63 is shown in operative positionin respect thereto, the rollers 95 and 99 carried by the spindle- 99-being the sheet registering means or I bythe spring biased rollers 95 and 96 carried .by

the .spindlel98.

The rollers..9 l, 92, 93 and 94 are journaled in the frame-91 b; having shanks Ill (Figure 8) extended through roller bearings H2 and ball bearings I I3 mounted in the frame 91. The rollers 95 and96, as herein shown, are the outer races of .ballbearings H4, and a tangential line join- -ing. their peripheries is substantially parallel to the direction the sheet is being fed. The axes of the cone-shaped rollers 91 and 93 (Figure 9) are intersected by theaxis of the roller 95, and the axes of thecone-shaped rollers 92 and 94 are intersected by the axis of the roller 99, whereby thesecone-shaped rollers 9!,93 and 92, 94 define a'wedge shaped space between their adjacent sides to engage the upper and lower surfaces of the. sheet .edge to guide the sheet toward the rollers 95 and 96.

-.The frame 91 is disposed in between lugs H5 and H6 (Figure 9) extending from the spindle 98, and is secured thereto by a removable pin H1, the arrangement being such that a slight amount of pivotal movement of the frame 91 on the pin .l in respecttothe spindle 98 is permitted. In-

termediate the rollers 95 and 99 and secured to the frame,91, is a stop surface constituted by a member H 8(Figures I and 9), the sheet facing surface of-which is preferably set approximately .002 of an inch, backfrom a line tangent to the peripheries of the rollers 95 and 99, so that bending of the edge of the sheet that might be caused by pressure against the small area of the rollers 95 and 9'6 engaged by the sheet as it advances,

willbe avo1ded,,dueto-the much greater area of the face of the stop member H8 which may be a separate partmas shown, orbe a portion of the frame 91.

V as in the previously described form, shown in Figures 1-6 inclusive, the cluster of rollers may be rotatedfrom the fullline position shown in described forms, either side .of the sheet may be registered against avpositionedstop member by theproper manipulation of the parts.

It will be understood thatthe invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it. is therefore desired that thepresent embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a sheet fed printing machine having registering means engaged by the forward edge of an advancing sheet, second means at one side of the sheet to engage one of itsside edges, third means at the other side of the sheet to engage the opposite side edge and press the sheet against the secondmeans, and other means to position each side edge engaging means in eitherof two L positions in the direction of travel of the advancing sheets. i

- stops against ,whichthe sheet side edge ;is;;pressed-; 7 5.

'2. In ,a sheet fed printing machine having wa erin me b 1 .99 .99.3 1,P9il9 aF9J9 engaged by the forward edge of an advancing sheet, a first means adapted to engage one side edge of the sheet to register the sheet, a second means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet to press the sheet against the first means, supports for the first and second means, and means to position the first and second means in either of two positions in respect to the supports and in the direction of travel of the advancing sheets.

3. In a sheet fed printing machine, a side registering mechanism, including a first reciprocating means adapted to engage one side edge of the sheet to register the sheet, a second reciprocating means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet to press the sheet against the first means, and other means to adjust the sheet registering position of the first means while the machine is running.

4. In a sheet fed printing machine, a side registering mechanism, including a first reciprocating means adapted to engage one side edge of the sheet to register the sheet, a second reciprocating means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet to press the sheet against the first means, other means to adjust the sheet registering position of the first means while the machine is running, and means to position the first and second means in either of two positions in the direction of travel of the advancing sheets.

5. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a first means adapted to engage one side edge of an advancing sheet, a second means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet, means to reciprocate the first and second means to register the sheet, and means to position the first and second means in either of two positions with respect to the reciprocating means.

6. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a first movable means adapted to engage one side edge of an advancing sheet, a second movable means adapted to en-, gage the opposite side edge of the sheet, means to adjust the sheet engaging position of one of said movable means while the machine is running, and means to position the first and second means in either of two positions along the path of the advancing sheet.

7. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a first means adapted to engage one side edge of an advancing sheet, a

second means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet, means to bias one of the sheet engaging means toward the other to press a sheet thereagainst, means to adjust the sheet engaging position of the means toward which the sheet is pressed while the machine is running, and means to position the first and second means in either of two positions along the path olf the advancing sheet.

8. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a first means adapted to engage one side edge of an advancing sheet, a second means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet, the first and second means each being mounted to swing on an axis transverse to the direction the sheet is being fed, to position them in either of two positions along the path of the advancing sheet.

9. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a first means adapted to engage one side edge of an advancing sheet, a second means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet, and means to support thefirst and second means for swinging movement into either of two positions along the path of the ad- .van'cing sheet to better control both relatively long and short sheets.

10. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed. printing machine, a first means adapted to engage one side edge of an advancing sheet, a second means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet, means to support each means for swinging movement on an axis transverse to the direction in which the sheet is fed, and means to position each means either forwardly or rearwardly of the axis on which it swings.

11. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a first means adapted to engage one side edge of an advancing sheet, a second means adapted to engage the opposite side edge of the sheet, means to move the first and second means into sheet registering position, and an adjusting device associated with one of the sheet engaging means and operable while the machine is running, to limit its sheet registering movement.

12. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a roller rotatable on a vertical axis and adapted to engage a side edge of an advancing sheet, a support for the roller, means to pivot the support to swing on an axis transverse to the direction a sheet is fed, the axis of the support pivot being ofiset from the axis of the roller whereby the roller may be swung into either of two positions along the path of the advancing sheet.

13. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pair of rollers disposed at one side of an advancing sheet and spaced apart in the direction in which the sheet is red, and a support for the rollers to hold them in position to engage the side edge of the sheet and including a stop member positioned to be engaged by the sheet if its edge is bent by one of the rollers.

14. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet "fed printing machine, a pair of rollers disposed at each side of an advancing sheet, the rollers of each pair being spaced apart in the direction in which the sheet is fed, and a sheet stop surface between the rollers of each pair and parallel to the path of travel of the sheet, the said stop surface being slightly spaced from a side edge thereof.

15. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pair of tapered rollers supported one above the other and rotatable on horizontal axes to define a wedge-shaped space between their adjacent sides, and a :cylindrical roller rotatable on a vertical axis to be engaged by the edge of an advancing sheet directed toward it by the tapered rollers.

16. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pair of cylindrical rollers disposed at each side or an advancing sheet, the rollers of each pair being spaced apart in the direction in which the sheet is fed, and two pairs of tapered rollers, one tapered roller of each pair supported above and one below each cylindrical roller, to define a wedge-shaped space .between the adjacent sides of the tapered rollers of each pair and to direct the sheet edge toward the cylindrical rollers.

17. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pair of tapered rollers supported one above the other to rotate on horizontal axes and define a wedge-shaped space between their adjacent sides, a cylindrical roller rotatable on a vertical axis to be engaged by the edge of an advancing sheet directed toward it by the tapered rollers, and a stop surface parallel to the .path of travel of the advancing sheet and slightly spaced from the edge thereof when it is engaged by the cylindrical roller.

18. In a registering mechanism for a sheet Lied printing machine, means for engaging the side edges of sheets fed to the machine, including rollers supported to rotate on vertical axes, and other rollers sup-ported to rotate 0n horizontal axes and arranged to guide the sheet into engagement with the first mentioned rollers, whereby side register of the sheet is efiected substantially without friction between the sheet and the registering mechanism.

19. In a registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, means for engaging the side edges of sheets fed to the machine, including rollers supported to rotate on vertical axes, other rollers supported to rotate on horizontal axes and arranged to guide the sheet into engagement with the first mentioned rollers, and a stop surface positioned to be closely adjacent the side edge of a sheet being registered, to prevent injurious bending of the edge of the sheet should it be slightly bent by the first mentioned rollers.

20. In a registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, means for engaging the side edges of sheets including a cluster of rollers in a support arranged at each side of an advancing sheet, each cluster including a roller supported to rotate on a vertical axis to engage a side edge of the sheet, and a pair of rollers rotatable on horizontal axes to bear against the upper or lower surfaces of the sheet and guide it into engagement with the first mentioned roller, the support for the rollers being shiftable to and from :a first position and a second position to register both relatively long and short sheets.

MORRIS S. GUDGER. EDWIN W. GOODWIN. 

